A New Dawn by John Jackson Miller is perhaps the most aptly-named Star Wars novel of all time. As the first novel of the new, unified canon announced a few months ago, A New Dawn ushers in a new era of Star Wars storytelling, with all Star Wars stories—including films like Star Wars Episode VII—being written in collaboration with the Lucasfilm Story Group. This allows the creative team at Lucasfilm to ensure that all canon stories fit together in one universe, and can all complement one another.
For this first collaborative outing, we are introduced to Kanan Jarrus and Hera Syndulla, two of the lead characters in Star Wars Rebels, the new animated series premiering next month. The novel takes place eight years after Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, which also works out to six years before Star Wars Rebels and eleven years before Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. It's in an era when the Galactic Empire is exerting full, deadly control over the galaxy, and the Rebel Alliance is still just a fool's dream.
When we first meet Kanan, he's a former Jedi on the run, having lost everything when Palpatine executed Order 66 during the events of Revenge of the Sith. Staying away from Imperial entanglements, Kanan moves from one odd job to another, not caring for anyone other than himself, and just wanting to survive and have a bit of fun. That, of course, all changes when he meets would-be revolutionary Hera on the planet Gorse, who dreams of creating a rebellion against the Empire. Like other characters in Miller's Star Wars works, Kanan allows the reader to understand what it's like to be a Jedi who is cut off from the Jedi Order, and how he has to survive on his own.
We're given a lot to understand about Kanan's motivations for eventually joining Hera, but we don't yet know much about why Hera is so eager to create a rebellion. We know it has something to do with what the Empire did to her homeworld of Ryloth, and I suspect we will learn more once Rebels premieres. Despite the vagueness, we see a great companionship form between these two new heroes, and perhaps even the first sparks of a romantic relationship. It's clear that Hera is the moral center of this group, and that the rebellious idealism comes directly from her.
One of the most important things in a prequel, when you know the main characters survive, is a compelling cast of supporting characters. On that front, A New Dawn does not disappoint. There are Imperials and civilians who we start to understand and feel for, all of whom are used to show a bit about what the galaxy thinks of the Empire, and even what the galaxy thinks of the fallen Jedi Order. One particularly compelling character is Skelly, who is initially painted as a conspiracy theorist—though we know better. He doesn't have all the right answers, but he knows that the Clone Wars were a farce to create the Galactic Empire, and he even knows that Gorse and its moon, Cynda, are in great danger.
The villain, Count Vidian, will be both new and familiar to fans. He is a cyborg, much like Darth Vader and General Grievous were, but with a twist: he willingly chose to replace most of his body with cybernetic enhancements, after he nearly died from a disease that ravaged his body. The synthetic skin covering his face adds a particularly creepy touch, as does his robotic voice. As the Emperor's corporate efficiency expert, he comes to Gorse in order to ensure that the Empire's business interests are running smoothly. But don't be put off by the word "business:" unlike parts of the prequel, this does not bog the novel down in boring technical details. Count Vidian is a ruthless, murderous villain who will stop at nothing to achieve the Emperor's goals—and his own.
Through the actions of Vidian and the Empire, we see a grim picture of what the galaxy is like during the so-called "Dark Times," when the Empire ruled the galaxy with an iron fist—and when otherwise good people collaborated with the Empire. A New Dawn begins to show us why there will one day be a Rebel Alliance, and just how much the galaxy can take before they say enough is enough. By the end, as a result of the Empire's ruthlessness, not every character makes it, and you feel the weight of their loss—as well as their inspiration, to make others keep on fighting the good fight.
A New Dawn is a worthy entry into the Star Wars lore, and a great way to kick off the new canon of Star Wars novels. Although you don't need to read it to understand Star Wars Rebels, you will certainly benefit from having read it. You will know where Kanan and Hera came from, and why fighting the Empire is so important.
MY RATING: 8/10. Highly recommended reading.
About the Author
Brandon Rhea is the founder of Star Wars Fanpedia, a contributor on Wookieepedia, and the owner/operator and creative lead of The Star Wars RP. Professionally, he is Senior Community Manager at Wikia, the host of Fanpedia. Follow him on Twitter @brandonprhea.